Slow-Roasted Halibut

with Grilled Fennel, Blood Orange Vinaigrette, and Olives

Makes 4 servings

I love recipes where the vegetable component is something you’d be happy to eat by itself. The grilled fennel in this light, wintry fish dish is one of those components. I like it so much that I couldn’t resist using it three times in this cookbook: You’ll also find it in the roasted beet recipe and the grilled mackerel. The citrusy vinaigrette that unites the deeply caramelized fennel with the soft, flaky fish is simple but has an interesting texture thanks to the addition of diced orange peel confit.

Blood Orange Vinaigrette

• Strips of zest (with pith) from 4 blood oranges, cut into ¼-inch pieces (about ½ cup)
• ½ cup plus ¼ cup blood orange juice (from about 6 oranges)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup champagne vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

In a small saucepan, cover the orange zest with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then drain. Repeat two times. Add the ½ cup orange juice and the sugar to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half and syrupy. Turn off the heat and let the orange confit cool.

In a blender, combine the olive oil, vinegar, 1½ teaspoons salt, and the remaining ¼ cup orange juice. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a bowl and whisk in the orange confit and shallots. Season to taste with salt.

Grilled Fennel

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 medium fennel bulb, halved, cored, and cut into ½-inch wedges
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, combine the fennel seeds, sugar, and salt and stir until combined. In a medium bowl, toss the fennel wedges with the fennel sugar until well coated. Arrange the fennel in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (sprinkle with any remaining fennel sugar from the bowl) and drizzle with the olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 10 minutes, then uncover and roast until just tender, about 10 minutes longer.

Preheat the broiler, prepare a hot grill, or preheat a grill pan over high heat. Broil or grill the fennel until caramelized all over, a minute or two per side.

For Serving

• Four 5-ounce portions skinless halibut
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Grilled Fennel
• ¼ cup roughly chopped Sevillano or other green olives
• Blood Orange Vinaigrette
• 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
• Flaky sea salt

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Season the halibut with kosher salt and pepper and place in a baking dish just large enough to fit the fish in a single layer. Drizzle the fish with the olive oil and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil and roast until the halibut is opaque in the center, 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).

Divide the grilled fennel among four serving plates and sprinkle with the olives. Spoon the vinaigrette (about ¼ cup per plate) over and around the fennel. Top the fennel with the fish. Sprinkle some fennel fronds and flaky salt on top of the fish and serve.

The Takeaway

If cooking fish is your white whale, so to speak, then I highly recommend starting with my method for slow-roasted fish. It’s virtually foolproof, and my favorite method for cooking thicker, flakier varieties of fish, including halibut and cod, as well as fattier species like salmon, arctic char, and swordfish. The results are similar to those achieved in sous vide cooking: soft, moist, uniformly cooked fish that’s very hard to overcook. A couple of things to remember: Cut your fish into individual portions before roasting, as the fish will be too soft to cut after. And add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, which will keep the fish from drying out. I usually add a drizzle of olive oil as well, for good measure. You can add other aromatics to the pan: Some citrus slices, spices, herbs, ginger, or chiles will all gently perfume the fish as it cooks.